"Did the Sinbad crew ever go to Amal?" Kent looks up at Alix as she towers over him.
"It's first thing in the morning and that's what you ask me?"
"Would you prefer that I tell you to have a good morning? My night was terrible but sure I'll greet you warmly instead of demanding an answer to the simple question I asked!"
Kent held his hands up in surrender. "Okay okay! I get it!" Kent rolls his eyes and stands up from his breakfast. "Yeah, they did. I don't know where you heard about it from but there was a story that I heard when I was younger related to something like that."
Alix clenches her fist tightly. "That's the last straw!" She says intensely in a hushed tone.
"The last straw, for what?" Kent asks with a slightly concerned look on his face.
Alix looks up and meets his eyes. "We're going to Amal! Pack you things and get the ship ready!" Alix turns away from Kent and marches into her room leaving Kent standing alone in the restaurant.
"The ship? What ship is she talking about?" Kent scratches his head when a thought dawns on him. "Wait! Is she talking about my ship!?"
...
Headmaster Edgar Noslen sits working away in his office. He has so many students to look after and teachers to keep track of that sometimes his work seems almost endless! He doesn't mind it though.
'Being able to oversee the growth of the new generation is a blessing of the highest degree! I do not feel the need to ask for any more in this life, long as I may continue to nurture all the seedlings under my light!' Edgar smiled warmly.
Having a seat like his when it came to watching the future of the world was wonderful! Some of the students under his wing he just knew would become something great!
"Especially you, Alix Deminal! I know that you're destined for greatness!"
"Thank you for the trust headmaster but I don't really care what you think." The older man jumped as Alix charged into his office like she owned it.
"Ms. Deminal! You can not just charge into my office as you so please!"
Alix rolls her eyes. "I don't honestly care. I have a request to make to you right now, so I came here immediately." The headmaster was stunned by the blatant rudeness that Alix was showing him! Then he remembered to whom he was dealing with and let it slide.
"What do you need? Are your classes not satisfying to you?" Edgar adjusts himself to give Alix his full attention.
"No, those are fine." Alix says indifferently. "What I need is permission to go on a research journey!"
"A research journey? During your first year?" Alix nods affirming her intentions. Edgar begins to slowly stroke his gray beard. "Interesting. And where are you planning to go? Assuming you have a destination in mind?"
"Amal." Alix answers instantly.
Edgar's brows lift in interest. "Amal? The town of bonds broken is it? That is quite the choice! Though I do recall that it is not so simple to journey to Amal, what do you plan to do about the impassable chasm?"
"I have a plan for that, you do not need to worry. Just tell me, can I go or not?" Alix walked closer to the man, stopping opposite him behind the desk. Edgar closed his eyes as he thought for a moment.
"I love allowing my students the chance to explore the world and its mysteries especially when they wish to travel to a place as mystifying as Amal. However, I can not merely allow you to go to such a dangerous location alone. Do you have a chaperone that can travel with you?"
"Of course, Kent should be more than responsible enough to-"
"I would prefer if the one watching over my precious students wasn't a pirate!" Edgar cut Alix off with an aggressive tone. Alix was caught off guard but quickly readjusted herself.
"Understandable. Then why not Vance? He's rather helpful in situations like these and he must be trustworthy enough if you hired him as a school principle?"
Edgar shakes his head in dismissal. "Vance requested that, should you ever ask for him to do anything with you then I tell you that he would never in a million years spend any extended period of time with you for any reason."
"Then Risky-"
"I've actually sent Ms. Bizen away to do something for me with a few other teachers so she's also off the table."
Alix scoffed. "Fine, the Winston! We know each other from back in my hometown and he's a trustworthy teacher! Hell, I bet he'd want to know about the supposed monster that roams the town anyway!" Alix began tapping her foot. This was becoming more complicated than she would have liked.
"Alas, Winston too was one that I sent with Bizen so he can not go either!"
"Are you kidding me?!" Alix slams her hand on the desk. "Then who? Who else can I ask to go with me, huh? You? Do you want to come headmaster because you're my last line here!"
The headmaster solemnly shook his head. "I am far too old to travel like I once did. Also I must stay on school grounds at all times in case an event like a few months ago happens."
Alix lets out an exasperated sigh. "Of course! This is just my luck! Nonstop, I get signs telling me to go to Amal but now I can't go because I don't have a stupid adult to take me! You know headmaster, if this keeps up I may just go on my own and just take whatever punishment you may give me!"
The headmaster's jaw tightens. "That would be most inadvisable, Ms. Deminal. Should anything happen to you we would have no way to know! I do not intend on letting you die out there!" Edgar's tone became much more serious than before.
Alix met the man's hard gaze with her own burning eyes. "I'm willing to take that chance, old man." The two glared at each other for what felt like hours. The headmaster with stern, seriousness and Alix scalding with frustration.
"Okay, okay. Calm down you two." At that moment, a woman walked into the headmaster's office. Alix and Edgar turned to acknowledge her.
The woman's loafers clacked against the wooden floor of the office with each step. Her sapphire blue robe concealed her body underneath it's wraps. Her olive skin gently shined in the light as her dark, blue eyes and hair absorbed it like an abyss.
She flicked her long, straight hair as she stood beside Alix smiling. "I can be the chaperone if she truly needs one, headmaster."
Edgar's eyes softened as he met eyes with the woman. "Ms. Chancy, what a pleasure to see you! I thought our meeting was not until later this day?"
"Well, you know us spellcaster's, headmaster! We are all rather impulsive in terms of activities and the such." The headmaster and Isabelle share a laugh.
Alix continues staring at the Spellcasting Uni's principle with an inquisitive stare. Isabelle notices and politely bows to Alix. "Greetings, Ms. Ren. I've heard from my fellow researchers that you are quite the brilliant mind!"
"My mind is my own to wield, so I would appreciate if you stayed out of it." Alix didn't like the energy that this lady was giving off. There was just something, out of place with her that Alix couldn't quite interpret.
Isabelle chuckles. "It seems once again the selfishness of sorcerers has been proven true!" She says jokingly prompting a laugh from the headmaster but not Alix.
Ms. Chancey clears her throat. "Anyway, returning to my offer. I would love to oversee Alix's journey. Should she allow me, of course?"
"Why that's wonderful!" Edgar cheers. "Alix was just struggling to find anyone to chaprone for her, so your willingness is much appreciated! Also, your knowledge will be of great use to the girl during the trip to Amal, I'm sure!" A smile grows onto Isabelle's face.
She turns to face Alix. "So, would you allow me to accompany you? I must say that I also have quite the interest in the town of Amal and it's ties to Mysticism." Isabelle extends her hand to Alix.
Alix stares at it for a moment but doesn't interact with it. "Fine, you can come. If this is the only way for me to get permission then I do not care." Alix folds her arms and meets Isabelle's eyes. "Just don't be too bothersome and we will all be fine."
Isabelle pulls her hand back and bows respectfully. "That's fine by me."
"Um, excuse me?" Edgar taps the desk twice to get Alix's attention. "What do you mean by, us? I thought that you'd want to go on a trip like this on your own?"
"No, I have kids that I need to take." Alix says without missing a beat prompting both Isabelle and Edgar to choke.
"You have kids?" Isabelle asks.
"Yeah, in a way. Holiday, Alice, and...one more." Edgar had a look of disbelief as he heard Alix explain her strange family.
"Holiday and Alice? Wait, do you mean Eric Holland and Alisa Normandy?"
Alix nods. "Those are their given names, yes." Edgar smiles in confusion.
"What an...interesting family that you have there." Edgar shakes his head to clear his mind and returns to a focused state. "Okay, that's fine! That just means that Ms. Chancy has a bit more paperwork to do than she may have originally thought, but that's not for you to worry about!"
Alix nods again. "Great. Then if you don't mind, I will take my leave."
"Please do! I'm sure you lot have much preparation to do!" Alix bows in thanks then leaves the office. After Alix leaves, Isabelle closes the door then turns back to the headmaster.
"Deminal, sir?"
Edgar sighs. "I was hoping that you didn't hear that. How long were you waiting before coming in?"
"Long enough to hear that you have been watching over the daughter of a traitor, sir! Should the public-no. Should the royals hear about this, there is no telling what sort of fit they may throw!"
Edgar motions for Isabelle to keep the noise down. "It's quite alright, Isabelle. Alix is not the reckless type of girl. She's going by her mother's name to keep a low profile and doesn't seem to show any animosity toward the king and queen, at least for the moment. Try to calm yourself."
"How can I be calm when I saw what he did?!" Isabelle slammed the desk hard. The room went silent enough that Isabelle's heavy breaths could be heard clearly.
Edgar gently grabbed the woman's hands in his own. "I understand your frustration, Isabelle." Isabelle looks up to the headmaster with coldness in her eyes but continues to listen to him. "You worked closely to the Breine, aspired to be like him when you saw his passion for magic. You, more than anyone, felt hurt when he let his pride get in the way of the progression of magic. Then, there was your relationship to the prince-"
"Don't bring him up!" Isabelle pulled her hands out of the headmaster's and stood up straight. "I merely looked up to his majesty and worked hard to keep him safe. I failed because I let my guard down around Breine." Isabelle's eyes became distant for a fraction of a second before they steeled again.
"I do not intend on making the same mistake with his daughter! Whether you agree with me or not, I will keep a close eye on that girl to ensure that she doesn't pose any threat to the nation of Pesin." Isabelle turned and started walking out of the room.
"Ms. Chancey I implore you to stand down! That girl is innocent!" Isabelle stops and looks over her shoulder.
"I shall be the one to confirm that!"